Method and apparatus for virtualization of appliances
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for the virtualization of appliances, comprising the steps of:
- storing an embedded operating system (OS) in a system boot ROM of a personal computer, said personal computer having a default OS;
immediately launching said embedded OS when said personal computer is booted, before launching said personal computer'"'"'s default OS, and suspending launch of said personal computer'"'"'s default OS at least in part;
said embedded OS, directly or indirectly, looking for available virtual appliances at any of a local storage medium and a network location, an appliance comprising a self-contained binary package that performs a particular task;
said embedded OS displaying at said personal computer at least one of said available virtual appliances for selection;
selecting from said embedded OS at least one displayed available virtual appliance at least one virtual appliance to use at said personal computer; and
loading and launching said selected appliance at said personal computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the virtualization of appliances provides an embedded operating system (OS) which is included in the system boot ROM of a personal computer. When the system boots, the OS is launched and looks for all available virtual appliances from, for example, the following places: local USB, flash card, e.g. SD, xD, CF, CDROM/DVD, or other storage media; local hard disk storage; and the Internet, e.g. an appliance server. The user selects an appliance to use from the OS, whereupon the appliance is loaded and launched. If the selected appliance is not on a local storage, then it is downloaded, e.g. over the Internet from an appliance server. The downloaded appliance can be cached in local storage media such that, the next time it is needed, it need not be downloaded from the appliance server. The user can also elect to boot an operating system from the hard disk, if an operating system and hard disk are installed, or to power-off the system.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for the virtualization of appliances, comprising the steps of:
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storing an embedded operating system (OS) in a system boot ROM of a personal computer, said personal computer having a default OS; immediately launching said embedded OS when said personal computer is booted, before launching said personal computer'"'"'s default OS, and suspending launch of said personal computer'"'"'s default OS at least in part; said embedded OS, directly or indirectly, looking for available virtual appliances at any of a local storage medium and a network location, an appliance comprising a self-contained binary package that performs a particular task; said embedded OS displaying at said personal computer at least one of said available virtual appliances for selection; selecting from said embedded OS at least one displayed available virtual appliance at least one virtual appliance to use at said personal computer; and loading and launching said selected appliance at said personal computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for the virtualization of appliances, comprising:
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a personal computer comprising a memory storing an embedded operating system (OS); said embedded OS further comprising means for presenting an end user with a list of applications that are available; wherein said applications comprise any of; non-virtual machine applications that can be downloaded from an appliance server; virtual machine applications that can be downloaded from said appliance server; and appliances that reside on any of a USB flash device or hard disk drive associated with said personal computer; and a default OS stored on a hard disk or said personal computer, wherein said embedded OS is immediately launched when said personal computer is booted, before launching said default OS, thereby suspending launch of said default OS at least in part; selecting from said embedded OS at least one available application to use at said personal computer; and loading and launching said selected application at said personal computer. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A computer implemented method for the virtualization of appliances, comprising the steps of:
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storing an embedded operating system (OS) in a system boot ROM of a personal computer, said personal computer having a default OS; immediately launching said embedded OS when said personal computer is booted, before launching said personal computer'"'"'s default OS; and
suspending launch of said personal computer'"'"'s default OS at least in part;providing a plurality of personalities for multiple users of said personal computer, each personality running in a software container which is abstracted from an underlying platform; said embedded OS looking for available virtual appliances and personalities at any of a local storage medium and a network location, an appliance comprising a self-contained binary package that performs a particular task; said embedded OS displaying at said personal computer at least one of said available virtual appliances for selection; selecting from said at least one displayed available virtual appliances at least one virtual appliance to use at said personal computer; and loading and launching said selected appliance at said personal computer. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification